Blood, Sweat, and Hard Work
by NoZoMi17
Summary: Ed and Al finally have a solid lead on the Philospher's Stone....but the humunculi stand in their way...will Al sacrifice his brother to gain back his body?...disclaimer please read
1. The Humunculi Make Their Move

The Homunculi Make Their Move-Chapter 1

"This is it Al! Finally a solid lead on the Philosophers stone!" said Ed as he walked into the room.

"I know brother. We can finally restore our bodies. It's a little hard to believe just how close we are." Said Al as he looked up from the desk he was sitting at to look at his brother. Ed sat down beside his brother and handed him the research book he was looking for.

"I know Al. what's say you to checking it out tonight?" said Ed with a mischievous look on his face.

"I'm not sure I like that look in your eye, but yeah we should check it out now while its still dark outside." Said Al as he stood up from the desk. He quickly put away all the materials that was on the desk and handed Ed is trademark red jacket. Ed hastily put it on, turned off the lights and left with Al following cloes behind.

"Brother are you sure that this is the right place?" said Al as he looked up the side of the old abandoned warehouse.

"Of course Al. Although I have a bad feeling about this for some reason." Ed said taking his glance away from the building to look at Alphonse.

"Me too. Which probably means that if we don't go in…"

"Then we are going to be in even more trouble, I know!" said Ed with an annoyed look. Ed huffed and slowly walked up the steps of the warehouse. Al slowly opened the door to hear a God forsaken _creeeeek_ come form the door.

"Brother? This place is really creepy." Al winced.

"Ah, come on Al. You're a six foot tall walking suit of armor. What do _you_ have to be afraid of?" Ed said looking back at his brother with a smile, temporarily forgetting how young and timid his brother really was. The brothers continued to walk looking for some signs of the stone's whereabouts.

"Find anything yet Al?" asked Ed.

"Nope, you?"

"Not a blasted thing!" Ed said as he kicked a rock across the room. The rock hit something soft. Edward heard a mysterious and maniacle laugh. "Envy?"

"Envy? Where?" asked Al looking around desperately. Envy popped out of the shadows. He was smiling more than usual. His green hair still long and gangly, swinging back and forth as he walked.

"Hello chibi-san. So glad you came to visit. There is someone here to see you." Envy pointed to a corner that seemed to have a puddle of water residing in it. A glob emerged from the puddle and began to take shape. The woman resembled that of their…

"Mom?" said Alphonse in a voice only a mother could love, so soft and fragile as he spoke. Edward gritted his teeth at the imposter.

"Al! She's not our mother! She is only manipulating you!" Ed said running to get in front of his brother.

"Why Edward dear, how rude to say such things about your mother." With that the woman extended her arm allowing it to form into water, she flung it at Ed knocking him back.

"Brother!" Al said rushing to his brother's side. "I am sorry brother, Its just so hard." Ed got up wiping his lip.

"I know Al. But you can't keep letting her get the best of you." Ed clapped his hands together, placing his left hand over his right arm causing a blade to form from his automail arm. He began to run towards the imposter when he was blocked by envy.

"Oh no chibi-san, your fight isn't with her but with someone a little bit closer to home." Edward looked at envy dumbfounded as he kicked Ed in the stomach. Ed rolled on the ground gasping for air. "Sloth now!" yelled envy to the imposter. Sloth morphed into her water state and filled the inside of Al's armor. Al struggled trying to get that _thing_ out of his armor. Somehow, sloth was stronger than before, he couldn't seem to fight her control. She took complete control of his limbs and started walking towards Ed.

"Brother, hurry run!" Al said in a frantic voice.

"Not a chance Al!" Ed said as he avoided an attack from the massive metal fist coming towards his face only to be punched in the stomach with the _other_ metal fist. As Ed gasped for air, he felt something cold and hard grasp around his neck and tighten, allowing him even _less_ air. He tried to pry the hands away from his neck but he was no match for those metal gauntlets. Alphonse was trying his hardest to loosen the grip around his brother's neck. That was all he could even attempt to do. He had succeeded for a moment, but then the grip tightened once again. Al winced each time his brother made a desperate attempt to gasp for air. Edward opened his eyes only to see a gray figure in front of him, his vision was already starting to blur profusely. Then, suddenly the grip loosened completely and he fell to the floor inhaling as much air as possible. Alphonse had managed to free his older brother from the imposter's fickle grasp.

"Brother are you alright?" Asked Al as he attempted to stop all movement that sloth might try to make.

"I'm fine Al." Edward slowly stood up and almost falling over because of dizziness. Before Ed or Al could even suspect it, A large finger extended out towards Ed. Alphonse looked at his brother who was stopped dead in his tracks, he noticed the finger protruding from his brother's midsection.

"BROTHER!" yelled Alphonse as the finger went back to the humunculous it belonged to. His brother fell to the ground. "LUST!" Alphonse would have given anything to try and help his brother right now, but with sloth in his armor he couldn't do anything. Envy walked over to the injured Edward lying on the ground face in the dirt.

"How does it feel chibi-san? Does it hurt? Come on, cry out in pain."

"Not on… your life" Edward said holding back a cry of pain. He wasn't about to give envy that pleasure. He pulled himself up to a kneel. He clapped his hands saying, "And stop calling me chibi!" he placed them on the floor, and made a hole for envy to fall in. only, he dodged it in time. Unfortunately, that had used up a lot of Ed's strength right there, so her was very exhausted at this point and in a lot of pain. He looked up at Al, who was shaking trying to fight back sloth.

"Brother I am so sorry. I am trying as best I can, but I don't know for how long until she gets stronger. Because of me, you are injured."

"I know Al….heave…it's not your fault." Ed was losing way too much blood, way too fast. His vision still blurred, and it wasn't getting any better.


	2. Sorrow, PainLife

Here Comes the sorrow-chapter 2

Ed looked up at his brother as he staggered to his feet. Alphonse was still fighting back the hold on sloth.

"Alphonse dear, if you struggle it just makes you punishment even harder to bear." Said sloth as she held Al's fist to Ed's face. She reared back, and then plummeted towards Ed's face. Ed flinched before Alphonse stopped the fist before it made contact with his brother's face. Edward opened his eyes to see a fist in his face. He stepped out of the way and the fist subsided.

"What do you mean by punishment?" asked Ed as he looked at Envy.

"It's very simple chibi-san. I want you dead." Said envy with a devious smile.

"But why my brother? Please kill me instead! Just please leave my brother alone!" Said Al, his voice clearly filled with worry.

"Al you don't know what your saying!" said Ed struggling to stay standing.

"Shut up chibi!" Envy turned and looked at Al. "You don't seem to understand. I am getting my revenge on you both. You both carry _his_ blood, and you will both pay for it. You will both suffer before becoming our human sacrifices. You can't stand to see your brother in pain can you? In fear that he may die? He can't stand to see you worried about him you know. Thus I have come up with this wonderful solution, to torture you both until you die, first your brother, then you." Envy said looking at Ed first then Alphonse. "I sure hope you and your brother have said your goodbyes, because you are about to prepare your brother for the afterlife." Envy said snapping his fingers signaling sloth to make her move.

"Wait! I have one question." Said Ed as something just occurred to him. "How is it that sloth is able to control Al's movement when she couldn't before?" Envy looked at the bloodstained youth and said "You really want to know, fine. Our master created a little device that fused with sloth's composition allowing her to control whatever being she 'possess'." Sloth stuck a portion of her body to show her arm sleeve. On the sleeve was a red looking jewel.

"You see Edward, this device acts like a transmutation circle that is apart of my being. While I am inside of your brother, I cover the circle that you created to affix his soul. This over powers the circle causing me to have complete control."

"But how I thought homunculi couldn't use alchemy?" asked Al.

"We can't, you're the one using it."

"But how can that be?" asked Ed.

"Simple, it feeds off of the energy being used to strengthen the one that is already there."

"What?" said Ed and Al in unison. "But…that means the circle I had already drawn is weakening. Meaning—"

"Meaning that your brother's soul will eventually fade!" said Envy interrupting Edward. Ed became furious.

"Get your filthy homunculus body out of my little brother!" said Ed raising his blade.

"Why don't you come and force me to, Edward dear?" said sloth mocking the severely annoyed Edward.

"As a matter of fact, I was waiting for an invitation." Edward ran towards his brother baring his blade. _Wait how exactically am I gonna do this? What if I hurt Al?_ He thought to himself. He stopped mid-run in front of Al. Although just because Edward stopped, didn't necessarily mean that Sloth was going to stop. Al quickly drew a transmutation circle on the ground and activated it. Ed realized he was in trouble when a giant fist cam up from the floor and smashes into his face as he heard his brother screaming his name. Ed flew at least 20 feet into the air and then fell to the ground and landed on his back. He wasn't moving, his head a thin stream of blood flowing down the side of his face. Al looked on in horror, hoping that his brother would get up and bounce back into action, but it didn't happen. He probably had a concussion and some broken bones. He watched Envy walk towards his brother, he grabbed him by the collar and pounded his fist into Ed's face.

"Stop! Stop! Please Stop it!" screamed Al.

"You should watch carefully child." Said Lust in an uncaring tone. "This is what happens when people break the taboo of alchemy." Once envy felt as though he caused sufficient damage while Edward was unconscious, he threw Ed across the floor. Alphonse screamed out for his brother, but still no movement. Sloth decided to come out for a moment, she slithered out a crevice in Al's armor. Al could freely move wherever he wanted, of course he ran to his brother's side. He turned Edward onto his back noticing blood dripping from the side of his head, forehead, and lip. He looked pale from the immense loss of blood from the wound he had sustained from Lust. Al, as he cradled his brother in his arms, made small noises that if he was human, would sound as if he were crying.

"Oh brother. Please let me know that your still here with me. Don't leave me here with theses maniacs." He held his brother close listening for any signs of breathing. He could barely hear it, but his brother was still alive. Although he was extremely fatigued and injured, Al thought he pushed himself way too far. Al softly tried to call his brother back to consciousness. "Ed? Ed please wake up." A moment passed, yet Ed had heard his brother calling for him. _Al…he's calling…my little brother needs me…he sounds afraid._ Edward thought. He moaned slightly and opened his eyes.

"Brother! Thank God your alright." Al said gently hugging his brother. Ed smiled slightly before looking over at envy.

"Al."

"Yes brother?"

"I don't think I am going to be able to continue fighting like this. Even now I can barely see the face of your armor, everything is pretty blurry." Ed stopped and thought a moment. "Al, hold still." Al nodded and Ed clapped his hands and placed them on Al's breastplate. A hole opened up to show the transmutation circle, almost completely disappeared. He took his left glove off, dipped his finger into his wound, and began to retrace the circle. It glowed as Ed traced over the intricate design.

"There. Now she can't control you." Ed said flinching in pain after clapping his hands together closing the hole. Ed tried to stand, although he couldn't with out some help from his brother. Al helped him up gently, but that didn't ease Ed's pain. He winced uncontrollably as each movement sent convulsions of pain through his entire body.

"Does it hurt much brother? You must have some broken ribs and maybe even a concussion." Al asked worriedly. Ed ignored the question.

"Awww…brotherly love, too bad it hast to end." Said envy as he began to walk towards the brothers.

"Oh Edward. Why did you have to go and ruin my fun?" asked Sloth. Lust also joined in the march toward the Elrics.

"What are we going to do Ed?" asked Al.

"I'm thinking Al." said Ed without any result of an idea. The homunculi got closer and their smiles even more sinester. Ed finally had an idea, he motioned for Al to lean down. He whispered something to him and with the remainder of his energy he ran right, while Al ran left. The ran opposite from each other circling the homunculi.  
"What's this?" asked envy. The two alchemist preformed a simultaneous transmutation, Al drew the circle and Ed clapped his hands activating the circle on the other side. A serpent's cross transmutation circle appeared underneath the homunculi. Each had a face of sheer terror, caught inside the circle. Both the brothers placed their hands on the circle to activate it, the floor glowed blue and everything was pulled into the array.

Once the light disappeared and homunculi gone, Alphonse looked around to see his brother laying face down on the floor.

"Brother!" He ran toward his brother, praying he was still alive. He gently lifted Edward and held him in his arms.

"Al. I can't…I have no more strength left. Just leave me here." Said Ed not bothering to open his eyes due to his immense pain.

"Shut up Ed! I am not leaving you here to die. I am getting you to a hospital and I am going to tell Roy the tip he gave us was a fluke." Al said in a stern voice. He noticed Ed trying to smile.

"Sure Al. Do what makes you happy, if you want to take me to a hospital I won't fight you this time." Edward said drifting off into a painful and deep sense of sleep.


	3. The Stone Revealed

Chapter 3

Al frantically ran through the streets where Eastern command was located while still holding his injured brother. He couldn't remember the way back to the headquarters, he was so excited about finding the stone that he wasn't paying attention, and now his brother's life depended on him. _I need to hurry, brother is going to bleed to death before I can find my way back at this rate….It's all my fault. _Al thought to himself. He cut through an alley way for a shortcut, only to find gluttony and wrath standing in his way.

"Hand him over tin can. I want what should be mine!" said Wrath holding his hand out towards Alphonse.

"Oooooo! Can I eat him?" asked Gluttony licking his lips.

"Now gluttony what have I told you?" said lust as she walked up behind Alphonse.

"Lust? But we—" Alphonse said as he stared at the obviously not dead homunculus.

"Sorry kid, but you can't kill a homunculus unless you have the remains of what they were supposed to become. Remember?" asked lust mockingly. The next Al knew Envy had jumped off the building beside them, he looked up and smiled that same maniacle smile. Then, Sloth formed from the puddle adjacent to Envy.

"Face it! Your brother is ether going to die with you or be killed by us. You can't escape." Said Envy crossing his arms.

"Homunculi in front, homunculi in back. Yep your doomed sweetheart." Said sloth shaking her head. The homunculi began walking closer to Al, his mind desperately searching for a way out. He did the only thing he could think of, alchemy. He quickly sketched a transmutation circle on the ground and created a column of earth to hurtle towards Wrath and Gluttony. It knocked them far enough out of the way so that Al could get out of the crowded alley. He ran down the streets still looking for Eastern Command. _Darn, I still don't see it anywhere. The homunculi are going to catch up with me, and I can't fight while trying to carry brother. _He stopped running for a moment, as it started to rain.

"Great, it's raining." He looked to his left and saw a furniture store. "Well, I can't leave brother in the rain." In the window of the store was a couch, he walked up to it and kicked the window causing it to shatter. He gently laid his brother on the couch. "His jacket isn't going to keep him warm enough." He looked around in the store and found a blanket. He walked back to the couch and noticed that his brother was gritting his teeth in pain, and then relax. He laid the blanket on top of his brother and started to run back the way he came. Unfortunately, the homunculi found him first.

"Were do you think your going?" Asked sloth.

"Your not going to hurt my brother! I wont allow it!" Said Al raising his voice.

"I'm afraid you don't have a say in the matter" said lust.

"Besides, you want this don't you?" said Envy holding up a bright crimson stone.

"Is that…The Philosopher's Stone?" Asked Al in surprise.

"It is. If you want it, then hand over your brother." Said Wrath.

"NEVER!" Al screamed.

"Then you will never get your body back!" Envy grinned. "Especially if I smash it." He closed his fist and squizzed.

"Fine. I wouldn't want it back if it meant sacrificing my brother." Said Al as he walked towards envy to look him in the eyes. Envy grinned even more and squizzed even harder, until they both heard a _clap_ and Envy went flying in the air dropping the stone. Alphonse turned around.

"Brother!" Edward was kneeling on the ground in the rain with his hands placed on the ground. He looked up to see Alphonse's glowing eyes. Alphonse looked at his brother hands, soaked in blood. He then noticed blood dripping from his chin and mouth, and he was struggling to keep his eyes open. Al ran to his brother's side.

"A-Al…the…stone might be … a fake." Ed said trying to stand, but failing miserably.

"Brother you shouldn't push yourself so much. Your only going to get more exhausted. Please leave this to me and rest." Said Al trying to persuade his stubborn brother from fighting.

"No Al. There…is something….I have to …check." Edward's attempts at stand finally paid off. With his legs very shaky, he walked towards the stone.

"Look at you! Your so injured you can barely walk and breathe at the same time!" yelled Wrath as he pointed at Ed. Ed hated to admit it, but Wrath was right. He _could_ barley breathe _and_ walk at the same time, he hated it so much it sickened him.

"Shut up." Was all Ed could manage to say. He was extremely exhausted and was running out of time. He had lost enough blood to need a transfusion now, and that wasn't good thing. His breathing became more labored as he approached the red glowing rock. Sloth stretched out her arm and knocked Ed away from it. He landed on his stomach and gritted his teeth in pain.

"Brother!" Yelled Al as Envy came and grabbed hold of Al from behind. "Let go of me!" he yelled but to no avail.

"Sorry but we are going to have to say no." Said Sloth as she laughed in his face. Edward managed to get up and continue walking towards the stone. He knelt down and grabbed it. _Now how do you use it?_ He thought. Someone came from behind him and grabbed hold of his ponytail.

"Ha Think you can use it? Go ahead, try it. I dare you!" said Wrath pulling Ed up by his hair. Ed looked at the stone, he clapped his hands allowing the stone to meet between them. A giant Flash of light appeared that engulfed the entire city. Then darkness overcame the light.


	4. Normal Again

Chapter 4

Alphonse opened his eyes. He looked around the room and then came to the realization of _wait…_ _I have eye lids?_ He held his hand to his face. _Skin?_ He sat up almost immediately to see a familiar face smiling at him.

"Why Hello Alphonse. It's good to see you in the flesh." Said the woman.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye. Where am I?" Al asked confused. He didn't recognize the room and wasn't sure if he was going to like the answer.

"Your in the hospital wing of Eastern Command. When we found you, we weren't sure if you were injured so we brought you here as well as your brother." Al's eyes opened about five times there normal size.

"Where is my brother! Is he ok?" Al asked worried. Hawkeye wasn't sure how to answer that question.

"He is in the Intensive Care Unit. Maybe it's best if you don't—"

"What? I have to go there!" Al said ready to leave the room in the hospital issued clothing.

"Al I think it's best if you don't."

"But why?" Al looked hawkeye in the eyes waiting for a response. Hawkeye gave in and handed him a robe. She walked Alphonse onto the elevator to the third floor. Al could see Mustang and Armstrong sitting outside a door.

"Colonel, He insisted sir." Said Hawkeye saluting to her superior. Roy nodded.

"Well, Al I am glad to see it worked, but your brother is in serious condition. (Al nodded) His ribs are broken, has a major concussion, internal bleeding, the list could go on and on." Al turned away knowing who had caused the majority of Ed's injuries. "He's so exhausted that he can't breathe on his own, but the nurse said that he should be able to be moved to a normal care ward later tomorrow morning. Don't worry Al, he went through all of this to bring you back that he isn't going to die now." Roy said placing a hand on Al's shoulder.

"Can I see him?" asked Al tears welling in his eyes. Roy nodded and opened the door and escorted Al inside. Al walked closer to the bed in the middle of the room. He could see that his brother had many bandages wrapped around his head and in other various places. There was a bag of red fluid attached to an ivy. It was feeding the red fluid into Ed. _A blood transfusion? _thought Al. He could see bruises from where he had hit him, and yet he noticed something else. His brother's right arm was flesh, not automail. Al smiled. He was glad to see that Ed also received what he had lost. Al saw the clear mask over Ed's mouth and nose, he frowned once again. He placed his hand over top his brother's and said "Don't worry brother, I'll be waiting when you wake up." He walked out of the room and back to his.

The next morning Al changed into normal clothes and walked with Hawkeye to see if they were going to move his brother to a different room. A question suddenly occurred to him.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye, how long has it been since you brought us here?" Asked Al

"Let's see, it would be two days ago last night." She said smiling.

"Really two days?" Al couldn't believe that he and his brother had been there for two days. What bothered him the most was the fact that Ed ad been unconscious the whole time. He looked up to see Colonel Mustang.

"Good news Al. They have moved Ed to a less intensive care ward of the hospital, it's the same floor your room is on." Al smiled.

"Great! Is he awake?" He asked with a fake smile.

"No, sorry. They don't know when he will. His injuries were pretty extensive and he did loose a lot of blood. Don't worry, they are pretty confident that he should anyway." That last statement didn't really help that worried nausea feeling in Al's stomach. "Here let me take you to his new room." He escorted Al to Ed's new room, opened the door and saluted. He walked out the door and closed it behind him. _You'd better wake up soon Fullmetal_ _or Al is going to worry himself to death _Roy thought to himself with a smile.

It had been eight hours since Ed was moved to a different room. Al had gotten bored and fallen asleep in the chair beside his brother's bed. Ed was still sleeping, but not necessarily peacefully. His fever had caused his usually band of nightmares to come racing back. Al would occasionally wake up to ease his brother's cries of fear and then go back to sleep.. Visiting hours were over by now but Alphonse didn't care.

It was way past midnight. The moon was full that night and the stars were shining brightly. Alphonse snoring away unintentionally woke up his sleeping brother. Ed opened his golden eyes only to shut them immediately after feeling that stinging pain in his head. Al's snoring only amplified it. He lifted his right to hit al on the head and tell him to shut up, or attempted to anyway. His arm wouldn't move.

"What the Heck?" he said to himself. Alphonse stirred and raised his head.

"Brother!" Al said excitement evident in his voice. Ed looked at his brother and noticed something different.

"So it wasn't a fake huh?" he said smiling a weak smile. Alphonse shook his head. "Al I can't move, my body feels heavy." Ed said wondering why he couldn't hit his brother earlier.

"That's because they gave you morphine and your still too weak to try and move around. Sorry but it was to numb your pain _and_ keep you in bed." Said Al rubbing the back of his own head with a mischievous smile.

"That was a cruel trick." Said Ed sarcastically. He looked at his arm smiled. "Looks like Winry wont have her best costumer coming to visit for repairs anymore." Al smiled and then turned away. "Whats wrong Al?"

"I…It's my fault you're here…it's my fault you almost bled to death and were so fatigued that you couldn't breathe on your own. I'm sorry. I caused you to injured because of my own weakness. And now your weak, because of me. I know how much you hate feeling like this." Alphonse said tears flowing down his face.

"Al. It's ok. It was my fault you were in that body in the first place."


End file.
